Lassa fever: Umahi releases N5 million for activation of Virology centre
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state Wednesday released the sum of N5 million for the activation of the Virology centre in the state.
Umahi made the donation known while holding the state executive council meeting in Abakaliki.
He said; “We were told that the Lassa fever emanated from efforts to save the life of somebody from Ala Hausa (place inhabited by Hausa people) who also journeyed outside the state to the Hausa Quarters in Ebonyi State.
“But the annoying thing is that since we handed over the Lassa fever centre (Virology Centre) to the federal government, they have not fully taken it over. It is not fully functional. That also very annoying is that the committee we set up to build the place and equip it did not tell us that the supplier of the equipment has not fully installed them.
“Nobody told us and that is very sad. So, we have had several meetings; yesterday and today and so we have agreed that we will release N5 million for them to source for experts from Benin and Lagos States. I have also called the Minister of Health, he also sent experts from Abuja.
“So, N5 million is to activate the place fully and get experts to start training. We are committed to spending more funds as needs would arise.
“In a our meeting with NMA, FETHA CMD and their team this morning, we agreed to release the sum of two million naira because the contact is from Ala Hausa to Macgregor Martha Hospital to the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki.
“So, what we have agreed is to get three names from NMA to be members of the Lassa fever committee and then, get a sub-committee out of that so that they will now be on a kind of monitoring divided into groups. One will be at Ala Hausa, the other one at FETHA and then Martha Hospital.
“All the relatives of the victims must be put on close monitoring. Their temperatures must be taken morning and evening for 21 days. We also assist the NMA to bury the dead and may be given holding down votes in form of small cash to the families of the diseased.
“I will ask you to tell your family members and the public to minimize shaking of hands and anybody that has very high fever that runs for two days should be reported. You don’t have to wait.
Charles Onyekwere, Abakaliki
